TimeMap of World History helps users visualize the geography of events in human history. It allows students to look at national, regional, or world levels. It couples a map with a timeline and captions to describe the past. It is appropriate for grades 6 and up.
It falls under tutorial, because it walks a student through history.
I would use this in a world history class or a geography class for students in middle school or high school. I would use it to help students make connections between different cultures and areas that existed at relatively the same times.
One strength of TimeMap is that it can go from a broad, worldwide view to a more local and specific view, and do so interactively. One weakness is that there is a lot going on within a given page. There is sometimes too much detail.
Modern History Sourcebook
1. The Modern History Sourcebook is a collection of primary source materials put together byFordhamUniversity. It contains primary sources from the early Protestant Reformation to the present, with topics ranging from Pop Culture History to Colonialism to the Industrial Revolution. It is appropriate for high school history classes.
2. & 3. It could be used in high school as drill-and-practice, or as problem solving. I would use it to help students learn the difference between primary sources and secondary sources, and to tell the strengths and weaknesses of each.
4. One strength is the easy-to-use nature of the Sourcebook. Things within it are easy to find and they are separated by topic. There are also useful collections from pre-modern history. However, the first time I used it, I found it intimidating and the search function has room for improvement.
5. Access to this site is free. http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook.asp
The Great History Mystery
The Great History Mystery is a game on the Smithsonian website that uses trivia about famous Americans to teach students about them. It lists a sometimes obscure fact and has the user select the matching person. It has different sections for authors, statesmen, artists, etc. It is appropriate for middle- and high school students.
It could be used as an instructional game, because it has users navigate through a quiz-type game.
I would use it to teach students about important cultural figures from American history.
A strength of the program is that it has interesting information, and even after an incorrect guess you can read about the figure you selected. Unfortunately, it is a short game that only gives each clue once.
Cherokee Trails is a game that teaches students about the difficulties of the Trail of Tears and the Cherokee in general. It is appropriate for students in grades 5-8.
It is an instructional game. It takes students along a virtual Trail of Tears, taking breaks to instruct about events, culture, people, etc.
I would use it in a middle school unit about early 19th-century Native Americans.
The program looks interesting and informative. On the other hand, it also looks fairly one-dimensional.
Countmore.org is a program that helps students figure out in which state their vote will “count more.” They could choose their home state or a state where they are thinking of going to college. It would be best used in a high school civics class.
This is a tutorial. It lets students check numerous states to see where they will get the biggest bang for their voting buck.
I would use this in a high school civics class, by having students compare their home state to the state where they would like to go to college, work, etc.
The program has real-world applicability. Students can actually register to vote online if that option is available in their state. The website has not been updated in a long time though, so there is not information for future elections.
Modern History Sourcebook
1. The Modern History Sourcebook is a collection of primary source materials put together byFordhamUniversity. It contains primary sources from the early Protestant Reformation to the present, with topics ranging from Pop Culture History to Colonialism to the Industrial Revolution. It is appropriate for high school history classes.
2. & 3. It could be used in high school as drill-and-practice, or as problem solving. I would use it to help students learn the difference between primary sources and secondary sources, and to tell the strengths and weaknesses of each.
4. One strength is the easy-to-use nature of the Sourcebook. Things within it are easy to find and they are separated by topic. There are also useful collections from pre-modern history. However, the first time I used it, I found it intimidating and the search function has room for improvement.
5. Access to this site is free. http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook.asp
The Great History Mystery
Cherokee Trails
Countmore.org